ABOUT

António Maçanita

At the early age of 4 he was already grape-stomping with his barefeet, but destiny lead him to Agronomy, where he falls in love with the vineyard and at 21 travels the world: California, Australia, Bordeaux. Returns to Portugal 3 years later (24 years old). By that time he didn’t have any vineyard but he already had a winegrower, the great David Booth, and FITAPRETA was born. Their first wine, PRETA, appears and brings the second IWC Trophy from London to the Alentejo. SEXY acquires a new meaning - "wine." Restless, he breaks the rules and makes the first white wine out of red grapes ever made in Portugal, restores tradition of Branco de Talha to the Alentejo and gets involved in the recovery of the almost extinct Azorean variety, Terrantez do Pico, in the Azores, which marks the revolution of Azorean wines, where the Azores Wine Company is born.

Breaks the bar of 90 Pts for the white wines of the Alentejo and the Azores in the prestigious American magazines Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. He then departs to the Douro challenged by “Joaninha”, his sister and enologist herself, to fulfil an old dream of making wines with four hands, the MAÇANITA Wines. In 2017 he was distinguished with the Special Trophy "Winemaker Generation XXI" by Paixão do Vinho magazine and with the "Revelation Producer of the Year" Trophy - AZORES WINE COMPANY by Wine Magazine. He likes a good challenge, question the status quo and regarding the Future ... we will have to wait! Son of Azorean father and Alentejo mother, António was born in Lisbon, where he also studied.

In 1997 he joined ISA (Institute of Agronomy). In 1999 he fell in love with viticulture through Prof. Rogério de Castro. Between 2001 and 2004, he left Portugal in search of more knowledge and learning, going to Chataeu Lynch bages, Bordeaux, D'Arenberg Australia and Merryvalle Vineyards, Napa Valley, just to name a few. Back in Portugal he meets viticulturist David Booth, they became good friends and later launched FITA- PRETA wines. With 24 years old he made his first Alentejano wine, the PRETA 2004, which earned him a Trophy at the IWC, a trophy only once awarded in 23 years of competition.

At the age of 25, he already supported 4 producers, who became successful projects. These include Quinta de Sant'Ana, revelation producer in 2012 by Wine magazine, Cem Reis, the 5th best Syrah in the world in 2014 and the prestigious Arrepiado Velho. Now at 39, he is an experienced producer in Alentejo, Azores and Douro with more than 11 consulting projects between Algarve, Alentejo, Lisbon and Douro. Nowadays winemaker António Maçanita’s main goals are the continuous search for authenticity, the recovery of old techniques, value what is made in Portugal, contribute to the regions where their ancestors come from, such as the Alentejo, the Azores and the Algarve, contribute to the future and never stop questioning the status quo. We say this a lot: "If we do not enjoy doing it, we should not be doing it at all“. In short, I like a good challenge, and we already have a few in our hands.”

WINES AND WINERIES

Here and Overseas

António Maçanita started his wine production in the Alentejo, his mother’s homeplace, with FitaPreta Vinhos and Sexy Wines, before heading to the Azores, his father’s homeland in Pico, where he founded the Azores Wine Company. There, he dedicates to the recovery of autochthonous wine grape varieties in risk of extinction. Driven by the challenge itself , leaves to the Douro to start a “four hand” project with his sister Joana, also winemaker, and so Maçanita Vinhos - Irmãos e Enólogos was born. All his projects are the result of challenges, partnerships motivated by friendship and complicity of those who share the same mindset and passion for wine. All devotion, dedication to the terroirs and sustainable local development leads to the creation of special and unique wines, produced in small series, which can be distinguished by their quality, and Antonio´s care given and an almost alchemical originality when creating new blends. His love for challenges and his distinctive irreverence paired with his willingness to innovate generates new projects that quickly become a great successful adventure.

Azores

The Azores Wine Company was founded on April 3rd, 2014, by the partners António Maçanita (...)

Alentejo

Art and Wine

CONSULTANCY

Wine ID

We turn ideas into wine!Company created in 2006 by 3 winemakers, António Maçanita, Cláudia Favinha and Joana Maçanita is known in the market for its scientific approach to oenology, winemaking and vinification. They are also known (...)